Raised by a Kind Snake
by sulya
Summary: On a night Lily and James Potter die, Harry Potter is kidnapped by Severus Snape who wants to cherish the last living memory of his Lily. Meanwhile, Lucius Malfoy's plots end up putting the whole Wizarding World at the brink of destruction. Rated T for now. Weekly updates. Next Update: September 28, 2014.
1. Chapter 1 - Outside

_** Hello and Welcome,**_

_**This is my third story. I hope you enjoy this one as I plan to make it fairly lengthy. The tentative update schedule can be seen on my profile page.**_

_**As always, please review, follow and favorite.**_

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Chapter 1

He apparated on the outskirts of the quiet, charming town. It was Halloween night, and the dark grey clouds promised rain, yet the gloomy weather was nothing to the panic inside his chest. Walking swiftly towards the collection of houses, the man stopped, his black eyes staring at a cloaked figure marching left and right across the cobbled street. This man wore black robes too, but he also had a tall, black pointed hat and a dark silver mask.

The newcomer instantly knew who this man was. It had to be this way, of course; the Dark Lord trusted only two wizards to accompany him. Well, one wizard and one witch, to be precise. The witch was nowhere to be seen right now, and this was a blessing for the newly-arrived wizard. He increased his pace, almost breaking into a run, tiny beads of sweat appearing on his white forehead.

'What are you doing here?' Lucius Malfoy asked in a rush, looking over his shoulder to make sure they were not watched.

'I need to know, I need to see. Is he here?' This was spoken in a rush too, but it failed to conceal the desperation in the man's voice.

'If he finds out, he will be displeased. He told you to stay back,' Lucius tried to reason with the man, who looked unearthly pale.

'Is he here?' The newcomer asked again, desperation apparent in more than his voice – the man`s thin form was shaking slightly, hands bound together tightly, fidgeting. 'Yes, he arrived ten minutes ago. It will be over soon.'

'No! I need to be there, I need to see.' The newcomer strolled towards another cobbled street, his eyes fixed on a house in the distance. He only marched for several feet before Lucius grabbed him hard by the forearm, spinning the man around.

'You can't go. You mustn't. Just think of the punishment.' Lucius decided to use his pleading voice again, looking straight into the newcomer's black eyes.

'I don't care. He promised to keep her alive, they both promised!' The man wrung his arm away from Lucius' slack grip and tore of, his eyes still on the dark house.

'Severus! Stop!' Lucius ran after him, catching up only when his friend reached the Potters' house.

It began to rain; huge droplets of grey water made their way down Severus Snape's face as the man watched the house. He did not know if it was a trick of the light, but he saw something green flash momentarily in the gap of the open door. His breath hitched, eyes not leaving the house.

'You must leave Severus. If the Dark Lord finds out...'

'I don't give a damn! He promised, he told me he would keep her alive.' Snape closed his eyes, a deep frown appearing on his face. Lucius could just hear the whispered 'Lily' coming from the man standing next to him.

Even after years of silence on her part, Severus Snape loved Lily Evans. She was his dream, a dream that could never come true. Severus had seen a glimpse of her this year, in Hogwarts, on Dumbledore's birthday. On that occasion, Lily simply looked at the hook-nosed man with pity. And Snape absolutely hated pity; it made him feel worthless and undeserving of life.

'Come to your senses!' Lucius growled this time, trying to grab the man and push him away from the house. 'She isn't worth it. She does not love you. She never did.'

Snape took out his wand, pointing it at the blond man standing next to him. But before he could do anything, he heard the sound of a baby crying.

Lucius ignored the wand pointing straight at his face. Instead, his silver eyes were focused on the house now too. The child's crying was getting louder, the sound shrill against the howling wind.

Snape just stood there, biting his lower lip. His eyes widened instantly as he saw a flash of green in the window on the second floor, followed by an explosion that rocked the house, making the ground shake. The whole house flashed, the color intense enough to be seen everywhere around Godric's Hollow. Yet no one seemed to notice. The street was eerily silent; there was no howling wind, no thrashing trees, and no excited voices of children trick-or-treating.

Snape and Malfoy both ducked to avoid the falling debris. The house, although damaged, showed no sign of life. Snape was the first to recover, breaking into a run and pushing inside the charming garden.

'What are you doing?' Lucius asked, sounding apprehensive.

Snape turned to look at him, saying 'Leave.'

But Lucius did not leave, at least not for another minute. He watched as Severus opened the door and closed it behind him. After another thirty seconds, Lucius realized that his master would not be emerging from the dilapidated house. Something had gone wrong. Terribly wrong. Lucius needed to utilize his backup plan now, a plan that would place him on top of the Wizarding world. Knowing that he had minutes before the Aurors would be swarming the place, Lucius turned on the spot, letting the howl of the wind carry the resounding "crack" of Disapparition.

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	2. Chapter 2 - Inside

_** Dear Readers,**_

_**This is a day late (my fault).**_

_**Just a few short points:**_

_**Updates to this story are pegged for every Tuesday and Friday. This means you can expect the next chapter in 2 days.**_

_**I am using a beta (PhoenixPhoether). She is wonderful, quick and indispensable. So this is the story where you can expect impeccable grammar :)**_

_**Enjoy Chapter 2:**_

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Snape stepped over the threshold of the Potters' house, all thoughts of Lucius now gone. He knew that Bellatrix Lestrange, Lucius' deranged sister in-law must still be in Godric's Hollow. She was probably approaching the house to inspect the source of the explosion. Severus was not worried with this, however; Bellatrix would never dare come inside this house, not when her beloved Dark Lord was gone. Bellatrix's faith in her Lord was known to be legendary - she would marry the Dark Lord if allowed, thus her limited mind would not be able to grasp the possibility of Lord Voldemort's downfall. It was simply impossible for Bellatrix; she was now at crossroads - how would she act now?

Bellatrix's future actions were also not on the forefront of Severus' mind. He came here hoping to rescue the love of his life. It was selfish, reckless and pathetic, but Snape really felt like he had no other option. After all, the Dark Lord had promised to keep Lily Potter alive, and so far, Lord Voldemort had fulfilled his promises to Severus.

The first thing that greeted Severus was the complete, deadly silence. Somehow this silence made him more and more worried. He was still three inches away from the door, his feet not listening to his panicked brain. Rooted on the spot, Severus strained his ears to hear any sound possible. There was nothing.

Gathering his courage yet again, Snape took a very small step forward, his wand gripped in his hand so tight that his muscles began to cramp. Nothing happened as he took another step. This was both a blessing and a curse, as Snape did not want to confront anything, but he was also clinging to the last vestiges of hope that Lily was still alive. Still, the oppressive silence was refusing to give him an answer. His lungs constricting and expanding at a rapid pace, Snape barely controlled the panic inside both his heart and his brain.

He reached the stairway landing, turning his head to peek into what appeared to be a cosy living room. Glancing around the room, Snape could see toys all over the floor – a child's broom, a stuffed dragon and a small box of wizarding firecrackers. He could also see a wand on the couch. It was still emanating thin plumes of smoke. He let out a sigh of relief – this was not Lily's wand. Evidently, the wand was used to entertain the young Harry Potter. If this was the case, where was Harry? Where was the reason Lord Voldemort journeyed here?

Snape looked up at the stairway again, thinking Lily must have tried to protect her newborn son upstairs. As quietly as he could, Severus began taking tentative step after tentative step, drawing out his wand and silently casting _Lumos_.

As soon as he reached the middle of the stairway, an unnatural breeze washed over him. It was a sudden presence that dropped the room temperature several degrees, chilling Snape to the bone. So far, this foreign presence worried Severus the most; he could hear his heart in his ears, blood rushing to his head. Halting immediately, Snape raised his wand defensively, prepared for a fight. However, as soon as the hostile presence appeared, it dissipated, leaving nothing behind it.

'_Specialis Revelio!_' Snape thought, glancing over his shoulder. This diagnostic spell revealed nothing, worrying the newcomer even more. Squaring his shoulders, Snape looked back up the stairs, determined to reach his destination.

He stopped abruptly yet again when he saw something on the ground at the foot of the landing to the second floor. A closer inspection proved the object to be a pair of legs.

Severus Snape climbed two more stairs, stopping to look at James Potter's dead body. James lay at an awkward angle, sprawled on the stairs, his hazel eyes still open and staring up into the ceiling. His face showed no emotion.

He did not know how long he stood there, glaring at the body. Severus was extremely frustrated with his feelings - they were ambivalent and confusing. What was he supposed to feel about James Potter now? Should he feel angry at this dead man for the past, the years of school-time mocking and insults? James never missed an opportunity to embarrass Severus in front of other students. It was James, Sirius Black, Remus Lupin and Peter Pettigrew who made Severus' blood boil.

Perhaps he should feel gratitude? After all, it was James who rescued the young Severus Snape when the latter journeyed to inspect the Shrieking Shack. Snape felt like he owed James Potter; this feeling seemed to corrode his insides, almost making him stomp his foot on the ground in frustration.

Maybe he should feel hatred? James was the reason why Lily left him. He married her, the love of Severus' life. The jealousy that corrupted Snape after this was so overpowering that a cunning observer such as Albus Dumbledore could not resist using this to his advantage. Dumbledore made Snape risk his neck in order to try to protect Lily Evans. But Dumbledore was not the issue, at least not right now. It was Potter; it always had to be Potter. Snape felt hatred and revulsion now - this was the man who was supposed to protect his wife and his son. It was because of _him_ Lily might be dead. If James Potter had known that trusting anyone was a mistake, he would have been alive and well, and so would Lily and the fifteen-month-old Harry. But it was too late now. James failed to protect his family; like countless, faceless people before him, he fell like a crumpled puppet in front of Lord Voldemort.

So perhaps Severus could feel a little pity for this man? James was always so strong, so full of life and energy. Grudgingly, Snape had to admit that James Potter was a good wizard, perhaps one of the best for his age. Seeing the man's broken body a mere shell made Severus pity the outcome of James' life.

Passing the body silently, Snape climbed the last stairs, his mind unclear, his emotions too jumbled to separate. He would have to label his feelings for James Potter as "undecided".

He was now in a long hallway, at the end of which he could see some light. Was this it? Was he about to find out whether Lily was alive? If she was, he could take her with him; help her to come to terms with what happened. He could apologize for choosing the wrong side; he could confess to his past sins and attempt to receive forgiveness he has been craving for so long. He could finally look into her emerald eyes and find solace.

As the possibilities rushed through Severus' mind, he could not stopper the feeling of hope that had been kindled inside of his heart. It would be wonderful to take Lily Evans away. It would almost be too good to be true...

At this thought, Snape stopped yet again, his legs rooted rigidly on the carpeted floor. The realization hit him - how could he have been so stupid? How could he let his foolish hope get him here? Why did he think Lily was alive? Was it because of the Dark Lord's promise, a promise Severus knew would be impossible to keep?

Feeling nauseous now, Snape took rapid breaths, his heart constricting. He realized that he did not want to see what was inside the room down the hallway. He could not look; he was not prepared for what was waiting for him.

Swiftly turning on the spot, Snape began marching back towards the stairway, his eyes catching the sight of James' dead body. What would this man tell him if he was alive? Only one word came to Severus' mind: _Coward_.

Gritting his teeth at the sight of the body, Snape let out a frustrated growl, turning back towards the light at the end of the hallway. Accelerating, Snape marched towards the light not caring about anything, James Potter's voice inside his head, laughing at him. '_Coward!_'.

Trance-like, Snape pushed the door fully open, letting the new sight greet his eyes.

He thought he was dreaming, a scene from his worst nightmare. The entire nursery was a collection of broken furniture. The table, closet and several chairs were on the ground, all broken. There were parchment, books, quills and ink on the carpet. In the middle of it all lay Lily Potter.

'Lily!' Snape yelled loudly, running towards the body, fighting with the debris desperately.

She was laying on the floor, face down. Grabbing her body a little roughly, Snape turned her, his long finger on her neck, checking the non-existent pulse.

'Lily,' Snape could only croak out this time, his eyes wide, and his hands holding the red-haired woman rigidly.

_Crushed._

Severus looked down at Lily Evans' face. Her eyes were closed, but he could make out an expression of defiance and determination on her face.

'NO!' Severus screamed, his stupefaction ending.

Pressing her body to his chest, Snape hugged Lily as tight as he could, unable to resist his breakdown. Long-held tears streaming down his face, Severus let the reality overtake him. Misery. Hopelessness. Grief.

She was gone now. The love of his life. His hope in this world and the Beyond. His contentment, his faith, his peace and his sanity were gone. Dead.

He did not see the bright bolt of lightning or hear the rumbling of the thunder coming from the window.

He did not register the quiet sounds coming from the little bed at the end of the room.

He did not even understand the sounds coming from his lungs and his vocal cords. They resembled the sounds of a wounded animal or the screaming of a man whose flesh was on fire.

He only looked up when he heard a wail coming from the corner of the room. It was not a sound he heard very often.

Slowly coming to his senses, he lowered Lily's body very gently on the carpet, pushing the red locks out of her pale face.

He legs carried him to the source of the wailing very shakily. His black eyes roamed over Harry.

Harry stopped crying when he saw the man approach him. Holding the edge of his cot with his little fingers, Harry looked up into Severus' face.

The black eyes widened when their eyes met. Harry's eyes were so startlingly similar to Lily's that Snape did a double-take, rubbing his eyes free of tears.

Harry looked at Lily's body and then looked up at Severus again, curiosity etched in his small face. The curiosity quickly turned into terror as yet another clap of thunder sounded.

Snape jumped at the sound, his eyes never leaving Harry Potter's face. The next sound made Snape's blood turn into ice.

There were voices downstairs.

He instantly recognized Hagrid's booming voice. The oaf never had the wits to keep it quiet.

'Hagrid! Find Lily and Harry!'

Snape knew that voice too. With a pang of hatred and disgust, Snape recognized Sirius Black's voice. The two men were running up the stairs, and Snape had less than ten seconds.

He looked at Lily's lifeless body again, then back at Harry, who resumed his curious observation of the black-haired man.

It would be madness, but he could not help himself. Harry Potter was the last living part of Lily. This little boy held Lily's love and protection and perhaps a little piece of Lily herself. This boy could not be left here, not now.

Gently but quickly, Severus grabbed Harry from the cot. Harry did not protest this; in fact the little boy looked happy to be held in someone's arms. Wrapping Harry in a little sheet to keep the boy warm, Snape turned to look at Lily one last time.

'I am sorry Lily.'

He knew it would be dangerous, but he had no other choice. Apparition was not considered safe for small children.

His wand still held tight, Severus turned on the spot, Harry in his embrace, concentrating with all of his might on Spinner's End and Disapparating with a crack.

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	3. Chapter 3 - Spinner's End

_**Dear Readers, **_

_**I know I have been away for a long time. However I am back now and my updates should be more regular now (hopefully). **_

_**As I mentioned before, I plan to make this story, so please bear with me.** _

**_You should also be aware that the beginning of this story will be focused a lot on Lucius Malfoy. I know this may seem weird, but it is necessary. This story is a bit like a chess game - you prepare your figures and then start attacking. Anyway, I don't want to go into too much detail, I don't like spoilers anyway. For now, please enjoy chapter 3. PLEASE REMEMBER TO FOLLOW, FAVORITE AND REVIEW!_**

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Chapter 3

Severus could not Apparate directly inside his house at Spinner's End. This was impossible, as his house was currently warded against anyone without a Dark Mark. The unwelcome complication meant he had to walk for about ten minutes with a sleeping Harry Potter in his arms.

Pausing for a moment, Severus gently removed the blanket from Harry's face. The baby boy appeared unharmed from Apparition. It was then that Severus noticed a thin lightning-bolt cut running across Harry's forehead. The cut looked very deep, embedded with tiny droplets of blood. The Potions Master knew he had to rush; he had to examine the boy to check if there was any more damage.

Taking a quick sweeping look around him, Severus basically ran with a baby in his arms. He realized how ridiculous he must look, his black robes billowing haphazardly behind him, his hair wet and wild, holding a baby boy wrapped in a snitch-embroidered golden blanket. If any Muggle were to look out their window, they would be very surprised by the sight that greeted them. But Severus had no time to consider such trivial things. As he turned a corner, an unconsidered question came to his mind. What had happened in Godric's Hollow? Why was there an explosion, and why was the Dark Lord gone?

Severus had witnessed his master's power a number of times. Lord Voldemort was unmatched in his magical proficiency; not even Dumbledore could compete with such power. How was it that a one-year-old could stop the darkest wizard of the century? The idea was unfathomable to Snape; it seemed absurd, and yet, as Severus half-ran to the next street, he guessed that he was holding a very special one-year-old.

Now yards away from his house, Severus suddenly stopped, cursing his own stupidity. It was the Dark Lord who had set up the wards around his house; with the Dark Lord vanquished, the wards must have been destroyed. He could have simply Apparated inside his house after all.

But as he came to the front porch, he felt the too-familiar presence of powerful magic. The wards were still up, untouched and unharmed. What did this mean? Only one conclusion came to his mind - the Dark Lord was still alive. He felt grim at this thought. How was he supposed to enter the house with Harry Potter, a child who clearly did not have an ounce of Dark Magic in him?

Severus' black eyes traveled to the scar on the boy's forehead again. This must have been the spot where the Killing Curse struck. Had this boy retained some of the Dark Lord's magic? Taking a deep breath, the Potions Master pressed the boy close to his chest, exposed his own left arm and grabbed the doorknob. Nothing happened.

Letting out an audible sigh of relief, Severus opened the door, quickly stepping inside. The dim lamps of his vestibule gave the grey walls an eerie glow. His heart beating fast, he raised his wand, muttering 'Homenum Revelio.' Satisfied that he was the only person in the house, he strolled through the corridor, Harry Potter still protectively clutched to his chest. He has not been in this house for almost a week; the Dark Lord wished for him to reside at Malfoy Manor for an unknown reason.

As Severus opened the door to the dining room, a horrible smell met his nose. Glaring inside the room, he was greeted by a sickening sight. Strewn on a long teak-wood table, there were bits and pieces of flesh and bone. The dusty carpet had a huge bloodstain which still appeared wet. Recognizing an actual human finger, Snape quickly shut the door.

His house was a convenient outpost for the Death Eaters. Snape knew this too well. Some of his "colleagues" must have been entertaining themselves. Of course the mess was left for him to clean up. Moments later, while climbing up the stairs to his bedroom, Snape was greeted by a stronger odor of putrefaction. Turning away, Snape felt very murderous. The last thing he wanted was for Harry to breathe this air. Feeling extremely relieved that the boy was blissfully asleep, Severus headed back down.

There was only one place in the entire house where Severus could place a baby. No one knew of this place, not even the Dark Lord. Opening the door to the library, he strolled the length of the room, Harry still fast asleep in his arms. Averse to being surprised by more repulsive sights in this room, he muttered, 'Lumos'. He heard something drip gently onto the carpet. Moments later, a drop landed on his head. Accelerating even more, Severus clutched Harry as close as he could. He approached one of the corner book cabinets lining the wall. Giving one of the shelves an experimental push, he heard a faint clicking sound from behind the bookcase. Satisfied, he took a step back, watching as the bookcase slowly rotated out, revealing a stone stairway leading down.

Relief washed over him as his nostrils exchanged the smell of decomposition for clean air. He lit the lamps on the long stairway. His eyes already accustomed to the familiar darkness, he jumped down lightly from the last stair. Lighting the last lamps, Severus looked over his personal potions lab. It was not big, but it had several couches, a small fireplace and of course a huge table, with different sized cauldrons for all his brewing needs. There were books here too, books he treasured above all others.

Approaching the table, Severus grabbed a matchbox, placing it on the stone ground. With one wave of his wand, he transfigured the matchbox into a beautiful wooden cot decorated with small dragons. Another flick of his wand produced a pillow, a bed sheet and several warm blankets. Wishing for Harry to be comfortable, Severus gave the bedding a Quidditch theme with racing brooms and snitches. Finally, he levitated the cot close to one of the leather couches. Placing a warming charm around the cot, he sighed, approaching it.

Harry did not wake up as the Potions Master lowered him into his new bed. Severus began his gentle examination of the baby before him. After, several minutes of careful prods, turns and even diagnostic spells, he was forced to conclude there was nothing wrong with Harry, except for that scar. Clearing his throat lightly, he murmured, 'Vulnera Sanentur'. Nothing happened to the scar, which seemed to shine even brighter. This did not surprise Severus in the slightest; in fact his suspicions were confirmed. The scar was cursed, and it would never heal, although Severus was sure he could find a Concealing Draft. But that was not important now. He knew what he had to do.

Getting up swiftly, the Potions Master waved his wand at the sleeping boy, placing an Alertness Charm on him. Should Harry wake up, Severus would know in an instant.

Paranoia was one of the feelings Severus was currently experiencing. So as he closed the potions lab door behind him, he spelled it shut and paused at the landing, his black eyes on the stairs leading up. He did not want to do it, but he knew he had to. Gritting his teeth slightly, he put on a burst of speed and climbed the stairs three at a time. He appeared in the rotting library again, took a deep breath and said, 'Lumos Maxima.' A blinding light flew from the tip of his wand towards the high ceiling, illuminating the whole room.

Severus felt his stomach plummet as he looked around him. He did not recognize this as his own house. There were manacles and spiked handcuffs in a corner, and the library table was covered by a variety of torture devices ranging from bone-breaking clubs and axes down to thin tweezers for removing human brains. This was nothing compared to the red stains on the walls and the floor. Even the ceiling had blood on it. As Severus moved towards the cupboard, he felt something soft squish beneath his foot. Looking down, he saw a torn off human eye staring blankly at him. An involuntary intake of breath escaped him, but he pushed on, approaching the cupboard and noticing how the smell intensified the closer he got.

Preparing for the worst, Snape wrenched open the cardboard. He instantly wished he hadn't as a mutilated human corpse fell towards him. Shocked and breathing very heavily now, he turned the corpse over with his foot. The body was so damaged he could not tell the gender of the victim.

'Evanesco!' Severus breathed out, his wand pointed at the corpse. The corpse disappeared, its blank face no longer looking at him.

He turned back, clutched his wand tighter than ever and began cleaning up, wondering how many more corpses he would come across.

The library took full twenty minutes. This was saying something, as Severus was working as fast as he could, unwilling to witness more abject gruesomeness. After two hours of exhausting spell-casting, he only had his bedroom left. Something told him it would be the worst room of the house, yet he knew he needed to finish. Tomorrow marked the start of a new era - an era full of uncertainty and ambiguity. He wanted to start everything from scratch, with a clean face.

The contents of the bedroom made Severus double back. There was no blood or gore or any sign of torture. Instead, lying on his bed, there was the body of a Death Eater. As he approached the bed, he saw another Death Eater lying on the floor behind the bed. Removing their masks, he looked at Rookwood and Avery, a faint crease between his eyebrows. Something about their deaths puzzled Severus - he could not imagine Rookwood and Avery committing suicide; it was simply preposterous, as they loved themselves too much. Could it have been murder? If it were, Severus did not wish to know. In fact, he did not care at the moment. He was not about to start performing autopsies on the bodies. He vanished them, replaced the bedsheets and opened the windows.

Just before he left the room, his eyes caught something on the mirror in the corner. Approaching it, he took off the note that was clipped to the corner.

_There is no life without the Dark Lord._

He looked at the note in silence before vanishing it too.

Giving his bedroom a last cold look, he strode out, heading towards his potions lab again.

Little Harry was still asleep, completely unaware of what Severus had cleaned up upstairs. He was curled up in the numerous blankets Severus had conjured. Severus approached the cot, looking into the boy's face. Unable to see the baby's eyes, he could only see this boy's resemblance to James Potter. Seconds ticked, and Severus could not look away from the baby, the magnitude of the situation permeating his head.

_What have I done?_

Severus staggered, his body finding the couch. He shook his head as if trying to clear it.

_What have I done?_

He could not answer the question. Exhaustion was overtaking him. Before he knew it, his upper body slumped back on the couch and sleep overtook him.

**PLEASE REMEMBER TO FOLLOW, FAVORITE AND REVIEW!**


	4. Chapter 4 - Lucius on the Move

_**Dear Readers, **_

_**Please enjoy chapter 4. This one is short but very important. **_

_**PLEASE REVIEW, FOLLOW and FAVORITE!**_

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Lucius Malfoy Apparated with a crack on the outskirts of his Manor in Whiltshire. The evening here was perfect, it was neither warm nor cold on the last night of October. The stars were shining brightly in the moonlit sky and the air was still crisp with the rain that was pouring heavily only an hour ago. The pleasant evening did not raise Lucius' spirits in the slightest however. The always cool and composed Lord Malfoy was running towards the handsome and yet imposing Manor house at a distance. Lucius cursed thin air as his Death Eater robes were slowing him down. As the Manor gates loomed closer, the wizard took out his wand and waved it quickly. He did not have to stop at all as his robes transfigured themselves from black to their usual smooth silver. The mask that he had in his hand vanished with a quiet hiss.

Lucius paid no attention to his surroundings as he crossed the gates, which automatically opened for him. The peacocks on the Manor grounds were crooning softly in their sleep while the magnificent marble fountain was playing a quiet tune with water. On a regular day, Lucius would have paused to arrogantly enjoy this sight; he was very proud of his background and his rather large fortune. But not tonight. Tonight, sheer panic was in his heart, threatening him to lose control completely.

He pulled back his left sleeve just as he climbed one of the elegant arched strairways leading to the front door. Looking at his pale arm, Lucius could see the Dark Mark. It was still shining brightly, but the inky black tattoo was fading before his very eyes. He waved his wand in a whip-like motion and the front doors opened quickly to permit him entrance.

'Narcissa!' Lucius yelled to the deserted entrance rotunda. 'Narcissa!'

A frightened looking house elf ran towards his master, bowing low. 'Master, Lady Malfoy is already in bed.'

'Fetch her this instant!' Malfoy roared, kicking the house elf with the pointy end of his shoe. He was unjustly furious and he craved a medium upon which he could release his anger and fear. He needed power and control and kicking a house elf seemed to be the only thing that made him feel an infinitesimal better.

The house elf squeaked in pain and gave his master a terrified look before Disapparating. Lucius waited for three painful minutes, his foot tapping on the cold marble floor impatiently, his hands wrung together, twisting urgently.

'Lucius, what has happened?' came a sharp question. Lucius' head jerked up at the stairway. Narcissa Malfoy was climbing down the ornate stairway leading to the living quarters. She was wearing a splendid emerald green silk nightgown. Lucius would have been taken by the sight if the circumstances were not as dire.

'Has Bella turned up?' Lucius asked in a rush, grabbing his wife's forearm.

'I already turned in, how should I know? Narcissa asked haughtily, trying to release her arm to no avail. 'Release me Lucius. What is the matter?'

He complied his wife's orders, letting go of her arm. 'I don't have time to explain Cissy. We need to find Bellatrix, she is a danger to herself.'

'Well shouldn't she be back at her manor? Go to Rodolphus' Lucius.'

Lucius gave a growl of frustration, stomping his foot loudly. 'If I do not locate Bellatrix immediately, everything will be ruined.'

'What will be ruined Lucius? Explain. Why is my sister in danger?'

Lord Malfoy pulled back his left sleeve again and showed his arm to Narcissa. She stared at it for a moment before gasping.

'The Dark Lord Lucius! What happened?'

'I don't know Cissy. The Potters' house simply blew up in front of me. The Dark Lord is gone.'

'Is he dead?' Narcissa inquired in awe.

'Don't be ridiculous Narcissa! If he were dead, the Mark would disappear completely. He is simply left powerless.'

'Are you going to find him?'

Lucius stared at his wife for a moment, unwilling to give her an answer just yet. He was spared from replied by a commotion at the front door.

'Unhand me you dirty monkey!'

'But Mistress, Mistress Malfoy is asleep already.' A different house-elf was pleading shrilly.

'I do not care. Unhand me or die.'

The front door was blasted open with a spell. Moonlight shown on the vestibule, shadowing the newcomer in an eerie silhouette. But the intruder moved forward, her wand gripped tightly. Bellatrix Lestrange was looking as beautiful as ever, her back straight, her skin pale but radiant and her shiny black locks reflecting light. Like Lucius, she disposed of her Death Eater attire, wearing a snug leather dress instead.

'Bella!' Lucius rushed towards his sister in-law.

'Lucius, you are here already! We need to move out right away, our Lord needs our help.'

'Calm down Bella, no one is going anywhere until we sit down and talk things out.' Lucius spat.

Bellatrix gave her brother in-law a venomous look. 'Do you want to be a traitor? We swore allegiance, we swore to protect and aid the Dark Lord.' Her eyes had a fanatic gleam in them.

'If you try to find the Dark Lord now, you will be apprehended and thrown into Azkaban. People already suspect you Bella, but thanks to me there is no evidence of your wrongdoing.' Lucius tried his best to convince the witch, though he long suspected that his efforts would prove fruitless.

'Fine, if you wish to be a traitor Lucius, you can have your way. The Dark Lord will be most displeased with you once I find him.' She turned away from the Malfoys, striding purposefully back towards the front door.

Lucius acted quickly. Pulling out his wand silently, he thought 'Incarcerous.'

Unfortunately for Lucius, Bellatrix reacted in time, deflecting his Binding Curse. The rumors of Bellatrix's magical prowess proved true; she was the most powerful witch in the Magical World. Unfazed, Lucius initiated a brief duel, trying to keep up with Bellatrix's speed.

What the black-haired witch did not expect was her sister joining forces against her. Narcissa rushed to aid her husband with a well placed Expelliarmus. Bella's wand flew out of her hand and Lucius' next spell was successful.

Shrieking, Bella tried to free herself from Lucius' ropes. 'Lucius! Release me! Traitor, coward, filth!'

Lucius silenced his sister in-law with a spell and levitated her thrashing body.

'The guest bedroom.' Narcissa breathed out, leading the way.

Very quickly, the Malfoys made it upstairs, with Bella's body bobbing up and down ahead of them.

'Quietly Lucius, don't wake Draco.' Narcissa pleaded, opening one of the larger guest bedrooms.

'Do you have her wand?' Lucius whispered.

'Yes.'

Nodding, Lord Malfoy dumped Bellatrix unceremoniously on the carpeted floor and set about to change the room into a luxurious prison. He placed magical bars on the windows, preventing anything but air to enter or exit the room. The bathroom window followed suit. The door was transfigured into a massive metallic block with a barred window near the top.

'That should get us along for a while.' Lucius said at last, ushering his wife out of the room.

'Relashio!' Narcissa said, pointing her wand through the bars. The ropes binding Bellatrix were cut open. At once, Bella pounced on the door, her face livid, her mouth opening and closing, no doubt throwing a slew of insults at the pair of Malfoys. Luckily, no sound came out due to Lucius' Silencing Charm. Feeling defeated, Bella hammered hard on the metal door, producing loud thumping noises.

Before Lucius and Narcissa could do anything, they heard a child's crying in a distance.

'Draco!' Narcissa gasped, already rushing towards her son's nursery.

'Stupefy!' Lucius roared, stunning his sister in-law. Bellatrix dropped on the ground unconscious. Satisfied at last, Lucius turned away and walked quickly to the nursery.

Narcissa was bent over a huge coot, singing a soft tune to a drowsy baby boy. Draco Malfoy was feeling restless but he could not resist the enchanting power of his mother's lullaby. Lucius approached the bed and looked at his son. At last, Draco fell asleep, not a care for the world.

Narcissa sighed audibly, sitting down on one of the plush armchairs. Lucius remained standing by the coot, his hand stroking his son's blond hair.

'I am so lucky to have you and Draco.' Lucius whispered, pulling a blanket over the sleeping Draco.

Lucius walked back towards his wife and leaned down.

'There is word to be done.' He whispered.

Narcissa gulped, but nodded. 'Go then, do what you need to do.'

Lucius nodded in affirmation, already getting up.

'Lucius.' Narcissa whispered suddenly.

He turned to look at her inquiringly.

'Remember what you promised me. No matter what happens, no matter what you do, Bella must not go to Azkaban. She must remain free.'

'I remember. I promise to protect her.'

Lady Malfoy smiled and watched as her husband exited the room.

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